The purpose of this Grant submission is to request funds to partially support the 2011 Gordon Research Conference in Staphylococci, which will be held July 24-29, 2011 at the Il Ciocco Hotel and Resort, in Lucca (Barga), Italy. This conference seeks to improve scientific knowledge in the field of staphylococcal research by bringing together the most talented and productive researchers in the field, providing an environment that fosters scientific dialogue, and catalyzing new collaborations by providing sufficient free time in the schedule to allow for impromptu meetings. The Gordon Research Conference design is highly innovative. Scientists with common professional interests in the staphylococci come together for a full week of intense discussion and examination of the most advanced aspects of their field.and challenges current paradigm of the large scientific conference. All proceedings of the meetings are restricted for public use. The 12th Gordon Conference on Staphylococcal Diseases 2011 will present cutting-edge research on the important pathogens S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Topics at this meeting will include: host interaction, immune evasion, evolution, physiology, cell surfaces, therapeutics and patient management. Invited speakers from academia and industry who are at the forefront of their subject will be presenting their latest unpublished research. All attendees will have the opportunity to present posters and exchange ideas with leaders in the staphylococcal field. As in previous years, the best posters from younger researchers will be selected for short oral presentations. The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, with organized discussion sessions as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, provides an ideal setting for scientists from different disciplines to exchange ideas, brainstorm and foster cross-disciplinary collaborations. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Staphylococci are leading human pathogens. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is now the most common identifiable cause of soft tissue infection among otherwise healthy community residents in the United States. The identification of S. aureus isolates resistant to vancomycin, linezolid, and daptomycin, indicates the possibility of a pathogen resistant to all available therapy. Developments in antimicrobial resistance, epidemiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of staphylococci are occurring at a rapid pace from an increasingly international community of investigators. Thus, it is essential to provide the staphylococcal research community with a forum to promote discussions and the free exchange of ideas. By pursuing these Specific Aims The GRC on Staphylococcal Diseases in 2011 will improve scientific knowledge in staphylococcal pathogenesis by bringing together the most talented and productive researchers in the field, providing an environment that fosters scientific dialogue, and catalyzing new collaborations by providing sufficient free time in the schedule to allow for impromptu meetings.